St. Paul Harley-Davidson is suing the Milwaukee-based motorcycle manufacturer to fight changes that could put the 72-year-old dealership out of business.

Sales of motorcycles at the St. Paul dealership, incorporated as St. Paul Motorsports Inc., have been dropping since 2008. Owner Tom Giannetti said in court documents that the business would have gone under if it hadn’t been selling Harley parts, apparel and accessories to international customers or through third-party websites. But now Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Inc. is prohibiting such online sales.

Harley-Davidson spokeswoman Maripat Blankenheim said the company “disagree[s] with their assertions.”

In February, Harley-Davidson told dealerships that they could no longer sell parts and other gear through third-party websites, such as Amazon.com and eBay.com, or to customers outside the United States. Giannetti said the new policy would cut his dealership’s revenue by about $8 million, or 26 percent.

“Our e-commerce business has kept the business in the black for the past three years. … Without it, we will struggle to earn a profit,” he said in a court filing.

The dealership sold 850 motorcycles in 2008, 691 in 2009 and 538 in 2010, according to the lawsuit. This year, unit sales are nearly flat.

The dealership has asked the court to allow continued sales until its lawsuit goes to a jury.

Giannetti also owns Wild Prairie Harley-Davidson in Eden Prairie, but the impact to that dealership or other Harley-Davidson dealerships in the metro area is not clear. He declined to discuss the dispute. Other dealership owners would not comment on the change or could not be reached.

St. Paul Harley-Davidson is represented by Minneapolis law firm Leonard, Street and Deinard; Harley-Davidson is represented by St. Paul law firm Murnane Brandt.

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